Mi havas tempon por lerni.

I

Breakdown of Mi havas tempon por lerni.

• havi: to have
• lerni: to learn
• por: for
• tempo: the time

Questions & Answers about Mi havas tempon por lerni.

What does each word in Mi havas tempon por lerni mean, and how do they combine to form the sentence’s overall meaning?

Mi means I; havas is the conjugated form of the verb havi (to have); tempon is the noun tempo (time) in its accusative form (indicated by the -n ending); and por lerni means for learning or to learn. Altogether, the sentence translates to I have time to learn.

Why does tempo change to tempon in this sentence?

In Esperanto, the direct object of a sentence takes the accusative case marked by the suffix -n. Since tempo is the object of havas, it becomes tempon to indicate this grammatical role.

What is the role of the preposition por in por lerni?

The preposition por expresses purpose. In this context, por lerni means in order to learn or for learning. It shows that the time mentioned is specifically set aside with the aim of learning.

Why does the verb lerni remain unaltered, and what does its -i ending signify?

Lerni is in the infinitive form, which in Esperanto always ends in -i. Infinitives do not change according to subject or tense. This is similar to English, where the base form of a verb (as in to learn) remains constant regardless of the sentence’s subject or tense.

Is the word order fixed in Esperanto, and why is it acceptable to structure the sentence as Mi havas tempon por lerni?

Esperanto generally follows the Subject-Verb-Object order, and Mi havas tempon adheres to this pattern. However, because grammatical roles are clearly marked—especially the accusative -n ending—the language allows some flexibility in word order. The sentence as written is clear and unambiguous, aligning with standard practice.